Cast and The Strypes on bill for Seaton Rock festival in Hartlepool

Chris Cordner

Two bands have been chosen to star at a Hartlepool music festival - and negotiations are under way with a third.

Contracts have been exchanged for Cast and The Strypes to headline at Seaton Rock, the festival’s organisers have confirmed.

And in an official statement, they added: “We are currently in negotiations for a third well-known support act to compliment this line-up.

“Details will be released once contract is secured.

“There will also be four local bands playing the festival to support the main bands.”

Seaton Rock’s organisers are hoping they can pull in up to 10,000 music fans for a day of 11 hours of live music.

“All profits from this event will go to local cancer charities in Hartlepool,” said the statement.

Seaton Rock will be held in the Sandy car park on Saturday, July 1, and tickets have already gone on sale.

One of the organisers Ian Young previously told the Hartlepool Mail that he was hoping the 11-hour festival would be the biggest event to hit Seaton for years.

He said he had been organising the event since the beginning of November last year and he was hoping for 6,000 to 10,000 people.

Ian has organised full-day concerts before but on a smaller level. He said: “When you look at the other events, they were pretty stressful but this is on a different scale.”

When asked why he has done it, Ian said: “It is about time we got something good back into Seaton.”

Tickets are now available on an early bird scheme where they will cost £20 for adults or £15 for under-16s who must be accompanied by an adult. Under fives will be admitted free.

The early bird scheme will run for three weeks unless tickets sell out before then.

Gates for the festival will open at 11am. The event is subject to appropriate licences being granted.

Tickets for Seaton Rock can be purchased via website www.SeatonRock.com or directly from Ticket Source using this link https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/344984

Ian works as a delivery driver who delivers white goods in a wagon. The 48-year-old uses every spare moment he has to organise charity events and just one year ago, he planned a charity night at the Staincliffe Hotel in Seaton Carew.

That time, he raised money for Gretton Court which is a purpose-built nursing home for elderly people and specialises in caring for people with dementia.

This time, he said, all profits will be given to Hartlepool cause Miles for Men and to other cancer-related charities in town.

Ian thanked colleagues Jo Winter and John Rogers for helping him with the organisation of Seaton Rock.

And he called on organisations in the area to come on board as sponsors. Ian would also love to hear from people willing to act as volunteers for Seaton Rock.

Those wanting ticket details, or more information on backing the event, to visit the website at http://www.seatonrock.com/